US and Taliban Colluding? That’s Afghan President Hamid Karazi’s claim. During a recent press conference, Karazi accused the US and Taliban of working together to justify a continued US military presence in his country.

Mandela Leaves Hospital. Nelson Mandela has been discharged from the hospital following a series of successful tests. Not too shabby considering he's a whopping 94-years-old.

China Shifts on North Korea. Following North Korea’s recent nuclear test and threats, China is reassessing its relationship to its saber-rattling neighbor.

Kenya Wants to Avoid Past Bloodshed. In Kenya, defeated presidential candidate Raila Odinga is urging supporters to stay peaceful as they protest the contested election. Hoping to avoid the bloodshed that accompanied his last bid for the presidency, Odinga says, he's taking his fight to the courts.

Rebels Postpone Picking a Leader. In war-torn Syria, members of the Syrian National Coalition have once again postponed a meeting to pick the country’s provisional prime minister in the event Assad is finally ousted.

Severing Beheadings. Long-time US ally Saudi Arabia is considering ending public beheadings. This could mean folks convicted of murder, armed robbery, rape, and drug trafficking could be looking at nothing more than lethal injection.

New Pope, Old Secrets. Cardinals in the Catholic Church are readying themselves to pick a new pope. Meanwhile, the Vatican continues its negotiations with the European Union over the religious order’s occult banking practices.

And Japan (Still) Protesting Nuclear Power. Tomorrow marks the 2nd anniversary of the massive earthquake and tsunami that rocked Japan and kicked off the nuclear disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, and thousands of Japanese continue to protest their government's pro-nuclear stance.